Latch attachment



J.- H. LEVINSON l.72l,345

LATCH ATTACHMENT Ju ly' 16, 1929.

Filed Dec. 22, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTQR lase/fizllewzzsozz BY ATTORNEY Julyl6, 1929. J. H. LEVINSONY .7 .3 5

LATCH ATTACHMENT Filed Dec. 22, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- 35 LII: .37.

- INVENTOR WITNESSES flag 11125156017250]? ATTORNEY Patented July 16, 1929.

UNKTE JOSEPH H. LEVINSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LATCH ATTACHMENT.

Application filed December 22, 1927. Serial No. 241,918.

My invention relates to latches and while capable of use for the purpose of a latch generally, is more particularly designed for embodiment in a latch for dumbwaiter doors, and functions in a. manner that it cannot be manipulated from within the elevator shaft, so that it becomes a burglar-proof latch and avoids the necessity of a separate bolt for positively locking the latch.

My invention is intended particularly as an improvement on the latch forming the subject matter of United States Letters Patent No. 1,647,921, granted to me on November 1, 1927. j

The particular object of my invention is to make my patented latch referred to automatic so that the closing of the door releases the latch bolt and at the same time automatically locks the bolt lever against operation.

The nature of my invention and its distinguishing features and advantages will clearly appear as the description proceeds.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, it being understood that the drawings are merely illustrative of one example of the invention.

Figure 1 is a view in elevation showing my improved latch with the attachment positioned to render it a deadlock;

Figure 2 is a View in longitudinal section on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section on line 3-3 of Figure 1; V

Figure 4: is a horizontal section, as indicated by the line 1- 1 of Figure 3, showing the locking device for the bolt lever held against gravitating and adapted to be released for the locking of the bolt lever by the closing of the door;

Figure 5 represents a view similar to Fig ure 4 but with the parts in position after the door has been closed and the locking device for the bolt lever automatically released; and

Figure 6 is an elevation of the locking bar for the latch lever.

1 represents the door of an elevator shaft and 2 a wall. 3 is a latch which is secured to the door and 4 a keeper attached to the wall 2to receive the latch bolt 5.

This latch bolt 5 has an extension 6 which moves through an opening 7 in the rear wall 8 of the latch, and a coil spring 9 is positioned on this extension and interposed between the main portion of the latch bolt 5 and the wall 8 and serves to normally project the latch bolt forwardly. I

9 respresents a lever which is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on a pin or rivet 10 secured in a latch'casing 11, said lever projecting through a slot 12 in the easing and having one end 13 thereof located .in a slot 14 in the latch bolt 5, so that when the outer or free end of this lever is manipulated the latch bolt can be withdrawn.

Rigid with the rear wall 8 of the latch is a guide sleeve of generally elliptical shape, and in this guide sleeve a locking bar 21 is mounted to move. This bar 21 has a relatively heavy hook 22 at its upper end adapted to engage over the handle or lever 9 0f the latch. The sleeve 20 is provided with an opening registering with the opening 7 at the end of. the latch casing, and the bar 21 has an opening 23 which is normally out of register with said openings when the hooks is in its lowermost position, shown in Figure 5. A flange or other projection 24: at the lower end of the bar 21 limits the upward movement of the latter and insures a proper registration ofthe openings 25, 23 and 7 when said bar is elevated to its highest position.

This form of locking device which transforms an ordinary latch bolt into a dead lock operates by gravity, the hook and the bar 21 being sufficientlyweighted to insure quick action. Hence the latch is normally a dead latch, butwhen it is desired to operate the latch it is necessary to elevate the bar 21 and this can be done by engaging the lower end of the bar with the thumb or finger of the hand at the same time the lever 9 is grasped. When the parts are released the bar and hook will fall by gravity and prevent any retrograde movement of the bolt.

In carrying out the purpose of the present invention to provide means to automatically maintain the locking bar for the latch lever raised and the bolt held from moving from latching position, a control lever is provided of approximately bell crank form fulcrumed to an exterior plate 31 on the latch 3 as at 32. Said lever 30 in practice is made adjustable as to its length being made in sections one of which has notches 33 and the other has bent teeth 34 engaging said notches. One section also has a slot 35 through which a screw 36 passes into the other section of the control lever. T he nose 37 of the control lever 30 is adapted to enter a slot 38 in the locking bar 21 when said locking bar is in the raised position and the bolt hole 23 of said locking bar is in alignment with the extension 6 of latch bolt 5. A spring 39 bears on the nose 37 of lever 30 tending to rock the lever in adirection to engage said nose 37 in the slot 38. The tail 41-0 of latch lever 30 is directed laterally sufiicient to be struck by the base of the keeper 4 as the door 2 moves to closed position, as will be clear from a comparison of Figures 4 and 5. Thus, when the locking bar 21 is manually raised and the door opened the spring 39 will cause the point of the nose 37 to automatically enter the slot 38 whereby said locking bar will be held raised so long as door 2 remains open and the hole 23 held in register with extension 6 of latch bolt 5. Upon the door being closed the en- ,ragement of the keeper 4 with tail lO of control lever 30 will rock said lever in a direction to withdraw the nose 37 from engagement with slot 38 and automatically release locking bar 21, permittingsaid locking bar to move under its own weight to a position for the bolt hole 23 to move out of register with the extension 6 of latch bolt 5, and simultaneously causing the hook 22 of locking bar 21 to engage the latch lever 9 for automatically holding the latch in the latching position and preventing the release of the latch by lever 9 until the locking bar 21 is first deliberately raised to release the latch bolt lever 9.

I would state furthermore that while the illustrated example constitutes a practical embodiment of my invention, I do not limit myself strictly to the exact details herein illustrated, since, manifestly, the same can be considerably varied Without departure from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a latch of the character having a latch bolt, a lever for moving the latch bolt, and a member movably mounted and adapted to engage the lever and lie in the path of the latch bolt and prevent movement of said latch bolt as well as movement of the bolt lever; an element movable into engagement with said member for preventing movement of said member to its lever-engaging position, said element having a contact member to be engaged by a wall to move the said element out of engagement with said memher and permit movement of said member to its lever-engaging position.

2. In combination with the latch bolt of a door, a lever for moving the latch bolt, and a member movably mounted and adapted. to engage the lever and at the same time lie in the path of movement of the latch bolt to prevent release of said latch bolt,of a movable means adapted to engage said member and thereby permit movement of the latch bolt, said means being automatically movable by the movement of the door to the closed position to release said member and prevent movement of the latch bolt to the unlatching position and to permit movement of said member into holding engagement with said lever.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 20th day of December, A. D. 1927.

JOSEPH H. LEVINSON. 

